Portable electronic device use has become ubiquitous in modern society. Users have come to depend upon these devices to provide information, entertainment and to communicate with other individuals or entities. Thus, devices such as smartphones, laptop computers, tablets, watches and other devices are carried about by users as they proceed through their daily activities.
This ubiquitous use exposes such devices to the possibility of damage near-constantly. Certain portions of a device, such as a cover glass, may be especially susceptible to damage in the form of cracks or other types of breakage. For example, breakage may occur from drops or other impacts on (or to) the cover glass or another part of the portable electronic device. These impact events, as well as other stress and/or strain forces exerted on the cover glass, may result in the generation and propagation of cracks that may deleteriously affect the user's experience and appreciation of the visual display provided by the portable electronic device.